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She’s 23, Mexican, and has just moved to Los Angeles. So, why is Eiza Gonzalez currently trending on Google in Australia?

Well, Miley Cyrus fans might be able to answer that question.

Yes, Gonzalez is apparently (if you believe a slew of tabloids) dating the US singer’s former beau Liam Hemsworth.

It’s safe to presume that a gaggle of Cyrus followers are hastily Googling Hemsworth’s alleged new flame as the actor, 23, and the pop star, 20, only broke off their engagement early this week.

The Aussie actor was first linked to Gonzalez when they were photographed together at the Encore Resort in Las Vegas on Saturday night, just hours after news of Hemsworth’s split with Cyrus broke.

According to the Daily Mail, Hemsworth was then photographed “passionately kissing” Gonzalez at her Beverly Hills apartment complex after the pair returned from their “wild weekend away in Las Vegas”.

So who is this Eiza Gonzalez? Those teens madly plugging her name into search engines will discover that the 23-year-old moved from Mexico to Los Angeles just weeks ago in a bid to break into the American market. (It must be said that being linked to one of Hollywood’s newest bachelors isn’t a bad way to raise your profile in Tinseltown).

Gonzalez rose to fame at the age of 16 when she starred as lead character Lola in the Mexican telenovela, Lola … Erase una vez (Lola…Once Upon A Time).

She went on to star in five Spanish-language television series, two movies and has released two albums. She gets her excellent genes from her mother, former Mexican model Glenda Reyna (who is a judge on Mexico’s Next Top Model).

In August, Gonzalez announced her split from her boyfriend of two years, Mexican businessman Pepe Diaz, on Twitter, telling her 764,000 followers that she had been single for about a month. She then tweeted that love is “our greatest happiness and pain” in life. “I choose love always!” she wrote.

It would seem that Gonzalez isn’t afraid to discuss her love life on social media. On September 11 she left a cryptic message on her Facebook page:

“It must be very difficult to accept the fact that the person you’re interested in lives in love with someone else #oops #goodluck! #whengoodisgood!.”

As a journo at the Daily Mail mused, “It cannot be clear whether she was taking an apparent dig at Miley or perhaps referring to her own love life.”

But it seems she’s more coy when discussing her (alleged) relationships in real life. When quizzed about her relationship with Hemsworth at a press conference on Friday in Mexico City, Gonzalez responded, “I have nothing to say about that subject.”

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

The City of Newcastle General Manager KEN GOULDTHORP says Council is working to restore services to the community as quickly as possible following a resolution this morning by the United Services Union to go on strike until midnight tonight.

“Due to the commitment and dedication of many of our staff, the majority of services remain unaffected. “

Lord Mayor Jeff McCloysays Council is committed to making the changes it decided on in June this year as a result of its poor financial position.

“Some of the matters raised by union members are already before the Industrial Relations Commission for determination and many don’t affect the majority of staff.”

“I am disappointed this action has been taken and I apologise if there is any inconvenience to the community.”

The current status of services is:

Customer Enquiries Counter –The Customer Enquiries Counter and switchboard remain open to take enquiries from the public.

Waste services– Any waste not collected by 10am this morning will be collected in the next few days.

Summerhill Waste Management Centre– Summerhill will be closed and will reopen at 9am tomorrow.

Street cleaning– The Newcastle Mall will be cleaned and minimal street cleaning in other areas will continue.

Branch libraries– All libraries are closed and will reopen as normal tomorrow.

Canberra teenager Nick Kyrgios made his Davis Cup debut last week and Tennis ACT has ambitions to host Davis Cup matches from 2015.

Regular professional tennis is set to return to Canberra by the 2014-15 summer, with Tennis ACT poised to launch a new, annual Australian Pro Tour event.

The tournament will debut following the $20million redevelopment at the National Sports Club in Lyneham, due for completion in November 2014.

Canberra hasn’t hosted a regular professional tournament since 2006, when the Canberra Women’s Classic, formerly the Canberra International, went bust.

The women’s event had been an Australian Open preparation tournament between 2001-06 and boasted champions such as Justin Henin and Ana Ivanovic, who went on to become world No.1.

But it eventually became unsustainable due to a lack of sponsorship, crowds and support from Tennis Australia.

Work on the refurbished Lyneham tennis facility is due to start in November and will provide Canberra with a variety of international-standard tennis surfaces, including European clay and hardcourts – indoor and outdoor.

Tennis ACT chief executive Ross Triffitt said it would put Canberra in a strong position to bid for events such as Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties from 2015.

Triffitt also revealed he was in discussions with Tennis Australia, the ACT Government and private sponsors about setting up a new tournament.

The Canberra International could be announced as early as November and would be a mixed tournament, with a men’s and women’s draw.

‘‘The redevelopment of Lyneham will allow us to bring major international events back to Canberra,’’ Triffitt said.

‘‘A marquee tennis event is very important for the growth of the sport … but people need to understand it won’t be an Australian Open series event with [Roger] Federer playing, it’s going to be an event that will feature top international players.

‘‘The Canberra Women’s Classic proved not to be sustainable in the long term, we’re looking for an event we can develop.

‘‘We want to pitch it at a sustainable level and then grow it rather than come in too big and too hard too early.

‘‘There has been a lot of thought about how that might evolve to link into the Asia Pacific Tennis League and the Australian Open series.’’

The Lyneham redevelopment is the centrepiece of Tennis ACT’s strategy to engage more interest in the sport, from elite to grassroots levels.

A $300,000 development has just been completed at North Woden tennis club, which will enable it to host Asia Pacific Tennis League matches this summer, involving the Canberra Velocity teams, headlined by Kyrgios.

North Woden will also be the site of an ACT-funded pilot program, enabling community players to make court bookings and provide easier access to facilities for recreational players.

Hirers would book and pay online and be given access to entry security codes.

The pilot is being monitored closely by Tennis Australia for the potential roll out across the country.

Registered players in the ACT are up almost 14 per cent this year and Triffitt said the ongoing challenge was having facilities available to meet demand.

‘‘This is really our pilot club for the potential direction of a lot of the community clubs, opening access to facilities through online booking,’’ Triffitt said.

‘‘We’ve already got a lot of interest from other community clubs, so once we go through a proof of concept and iron out a lot of the bugs it will be ready to roll out at other facilities.’’

At one time tennis could have strongly claimed to be Australia’s national sport, but facilities have dwindled over the decades.

Plans to establish a multi-sport facility in the new Canberra suburb of Throsby, incorporating tennis, netball and squash, have been put on hold.

But Triffitt said Tennis ACT was working with ACT Government and private developers to establish more facilities in areas of need.

‘‘Gone are the days when they would establish a new suburb and put in a church and a tennis court,’’ Triffitt said.

‘‘We’ve seen the growth in Gungahlin, prior to that South Tuggeranong and on the horizon Molonglo. These are the areas that are perfect participation bases for a sport like ours and we don’t have facilities in those areas.

‘‘The population is growing and the demand is growing, so we’ve got to find locations for the facilities. We’re working with a private sector as well.’’

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

Comments Off on Brutal truth: comedians spill the beans about commercial radio

Chrissie Swan isn’t afraid of opening up a can of worms, even if it’s about her radio bosses.When asked about the culture of FM radio, one presenter described her managers as “men over 40 in acid wash jeans and Tintin gelled haircuts who enter a room scrotum-first”.

That was a few years ago, with my source speaking anonymously.

But now, the Radio Today website has convinced the industry’s biggest names, past and present, to spill the beans – on the record.

In a series called The Brutal Truth, heavy-hitters such as Tony Martin, Wendy Harmer, Tom Gleeson and Chrissie Swan tell all about their listeners, ratings and even their bosses.

“In stand-up comedy, a live audience lets you know if you’re funny or not based on their laughter,” says Gold’s Anthony “Lehmo” Lehmann. “In radio, a man with tight jeans, cowboy boots and a pony-tail tells you whether or not you’re funny based on the opinions of a focus group that he spoke to in the early ’90s.”

Comic Mikey Robins, a former host on Triple J, Triple M and Vega, makes a similar observation.

“The happiest moment in every comedian’s bloody week: listening to some program director who came from the sales department tell you why you weren’t funny.”

Former Triple M and Mix presenter Tim Smith, however, was simply ordered to perform well.

“We were under huge pressure and mental strain to have fun,” he says, “and that is not a very favourable environment. It was, at times, like being held at gunpoint and told, ‘The [former presenter] who is sadly no longer here failed to sound fun to us, so enjoy yourselves, or else’.”

While television ratings come out every morning, radio ratings are released just eight times a year – making each survey a nerve-racking event.

“With stand-up you know immediately if you’re not doing well [because you] get heckled,” says former Nova presenter Akmal Saleh. “With radio you also get heckled, but it comes every six weeks or so in the shape of ratings. A drop in ratings is the equivalent of about a million people saying all at once, ‘Get off, you’re not funny’.”

Of course, everyone is an expert once the figures come out.

“Strap yourself in for a lot of compromise and pseudo analysis,” says former Mix host Tom Gleeson. “Everyone knows why ratings go up … but only after it happens.”

Given many FM hosts come from stand-up comedy, Radio Today asked them about the similarities between performing in a studio and on stage.

Star’s Craig Annis says: “Both have microphones, both are conversations, both end in tears some days.”

Mix’s Jamie Row says: “Stand-up comics have the best insight; a stand-up audience is the radio audience.

“It’s safe to say this poof has nil in common with Trish, out on her hen’s night, with her 20 mates, getting blind through a straw shaped like a dick. But having performed to a million Trishes over the years, I have a good idea what she’s about. I know her very well and I have a real respect for her.”

Not every stand-up makes a smooth transition to radio, however.

“Nothing chews up material like a radio show,” says former Fox and Triple M presenter Tony Martin. “There’s quite a famous story of a stand-up who, by Wednesday of his first week on breakfast radio, had literally done his entire act.”

“With radio, suddenly you’re working in an office,” Gleeson says. “Everyone has input and you have to be polite to colleagues and pretend you care about their feedback. That’s a tough gig.”

Mix’s Chrissie Swan explains: “If a joke falls flat or isn’t quite ‘worked up’ enough in time, the comedian then plunges into three minutes of acute self-doubt and loathing while Bruno Mars plays.

“Then he has to lift himself out of the mire in time for the next break. And be funny again.”

Nova’s Natalie Locke says: “On air, you’re literally living in the moment; whether it’s reacting to your co-hosts; trying to figure out what they’re saying without saying, ‘What the f— are you on about?’; or reacting to horrific world events without sounding trite. Difficult to do when all you want to do is crack a gag.”

Listeners want to laugh, of course, but they also demand more than an endless series of gags.

“A wise-cracking, one-liner persona won’t get you very far,” says former 2Day FM and ABC host Wendy Harmer. “It’s tiresome for both you and the listeners.

“To a certain extent, there has to be fakery. Your anxieties, self-doubt and narcissistic tendencies aren’t appealing – even though most broadcasters have those traits in spades. So how much do you tell? What do you hold back? Who is it you’re trying to connect with? It’s showmanship and bravado but it’s also something else: conviction, compassion and sincerity.”

Next week, The Brutal Truth series explores meetings, self-doubt and the infamous seven-second delay button.

The series is co-authored by veteran radio executives Brad March and Scott Muller, who now run their own media companies, and New FM host Sarah Levett.

Of the 40-odd people they approached, only two declined to be interviewed.

“Scott and I have long-lasting relationships with these people; we’ve worked with most of them over the years,” March says.

“They trust us enough to be honest in their responses although some are obviously very tongue-in-cheek.”

The opening stage of the National Capital Tour has been thrown into chaos after a traffic mishap forced results from the women’s time trial to be erased.

In an embarrassing gaffe for organisers, a car crash on Friday morning during peak hour prevented race marshalls from taking up their spots on the course and allowed traffic on the road.

The decision to null and void the stage was made after National Road Series leader Katrin Garfoot had cruised to a 46-second victory.

Riders departed from the National Museum carpark from 9.30am, with the 17.2km course taking them out on Lady Denman Drive to Cotter Road and back.

National Capital Tour race director Mick Fay said up to 20 per cent of riders were affected by the traffic going on the road, which forced them to ride in the bicycle lanes.

”There was a vehicle collision which forced some of our marshalls to be not in place at the allotted time, which allowed traffic to get on the road,” Fay said.

”(The riders) were a bit disappointed, but we felt the decision was in the best interests of the race because some riders were impeded by the traffic and it’s not a fair result.

”The technical director of the race made that decision and I’ve decided to support that decision.”

Garfoot was the second-last rider to depart and crossed the line in 23:41.55, ahead of Felicity Wardlaw (24:27.11) and Ruth Corset (24:35.19).

”I didn’t even know about the crash, but I’m a bit disappointed and will just try to concentrate on tomorrow,” Garfoot said.

”I can’t do anything about the result so I just have to run with it.

”Not having the time from today will change the race for me tomorrow, but the best thing for me is to focus on tomorrow and get organised the best I can.”

Marshalls were in place for the men’s time trial to proceed as planned at 1pm.

Two hundred of Australia’s leading riders, 150 men and 50 women, have converged on Canberra for the three-day event.

Saturday’s marquee 120km road race had already been changed because of a rock fall on Corin Road.

The challenging stage, with several difficult hill climbs, has been extended by 12km and will now finish at Namadgi National Park.

”I’m looking forward to it because I like the hills,” Garfoot said.

”It should make it very interesting.”NormalfalsefalseEN-AUX-NONEX-NONEThe opening stage of the National Capital Tour has been thrown into chaos after a traffic mishap forced results from the women’s time trial to be erased.In an embarrassing gaffe for organisers, a car crash on Friday morning during peak hour prevented race marshalls from taking up their spots on the course and allowed traffic on the road.The decision to null and void the stage was made after National Road Series leader Katrin Garfoot had cruised to a 46-second victory.Riders departed from the National Museum carpark from 9.30am, the 17.2km course taking them out on Lady Denman Drive to Cotter Road and back.National Capital Tour race director Mick Fay said up to 20 per cent of riders were affected by the traffic going on the road, which forced them to ride in the bicycle lanes.‘‘There was a vehicle collision which forced some of our marshalls to be not in place at the allotted time, which allowed traffic to get on the road,’’ Fay said.‘‘(The riders) were a bit disappointed, but we felt the decision was in the best interests of the race because some riders were impeded by the traffic and it’s not a fair result.‘‘The technical director of the race made that decision and I’ve decided to support that decision.’’Garfoot was the second-last rider to depart and crossed the line in 23:41.55, ahead of Felicity Wardlaw (24:27.11) and Ruth Corset (24:35.19).‘‘I didn’t even know about the crash, but I’m a bit disappointed and will just try to concentrate on tomorrow,’’ Garfoot said.‘‘I can’t do anything about the result so I just have to run with it.‘‘Not having the time from today will change the race for me tomorrow, but the best thing for me is to focus on tomorrow and get organised the best I can.’’Marshalls were in place for the men’s time trial to proceed as planned at 1pm.Two-hundred of Australia’s leading riders, 150 men and 50 women, have converged on Canberra for the three-day event.Saturday’s marquee 120km road race had already been changed because of a rock fall on Corin Road.The challenging stage, with several difficult hill climbs, has been extended by 12km and will now finish at Namadgi National Park.‘‘I’m looking forward to it because I like the hills,’’ Garfoot said.‘‘It should make it very interesting.’’

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Comments Off on Match-fixing ‘ringleader’ made ‘threats’ to co-accused

A man police say is the ringleader of Australia’s involvement in a global match-fixing syndicate has made “veiled threats” against some of his co-accused, a court has heard.

Police allege Segaran “Gerry” Gsubramaniam, 45, is the liaison between the Victorian Premier League soccer team the Southern Stars and the match-fixing syndicate, in a sting that has earned more than $2 million in betting winnings.

Police allege the results of five of the club’s matches between July 21 and last Friday were fixed and that Mr Gsubramaniam had instructed the team of the scores wanted by match fixers in Hungary and Malaysia.

Mr Gsubramaniam, four of the team’s players and its coach, have all been charged under Victoria’s new laws on match fixing.

Mr Gsubramaniam, a Malaysian national, is fighting to be granted bail like his co-accused, but police are opposed over concerns he has access to money and criminal associates and will flee Australia. He was remanded on Friday to continue his bail application on Tuesday.

The Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday heard charged player Reiss Noel and a teammate feared Mr Gsubramaniam and had resorted to securing their hotel door with a chair.

Detective acting Senior Sergeant Scott Poynder told the court “two players are currently securing their doors because they fear Mr Gsubramaniam will arrange people to come and visit them”.

“Some of those [interviewed] have expressed his making veiled threats to them against co-operating,” he said.

Defence counsel Michael Gleeson said the evidence over the threats was questionable.

The court heard Mr Gsubramaniam had received transactions of $230,000 since June, and that police were analysing four bank accounts he had in Australia, and possibly more overseas.

Telephone intercepts also overheard him talking about the players he wanted to play in Australia.

The four players charged – Mr Noel, 23, Joe Woolley, 23, David Obaze, 23, and Nicholas McKoy, 27 – are all British nationals and have surrendered passports to police. The club’s Australian coach, Zia Younan, 36, could not find his passport but would surrender it once he found it, the court heard.

Detective Senior Constable Tracey Van Den Heuvel, who interviewed Mr Gsubramaniam last Sunday, told the court he had said he was only a small player in the syndicate.

“He said he was just a small fry in all of this,” she said.

But prosecutor Peter Rose, SC, said police considered Mr Gsubramaniam “high on the totem pole” of their investigation and feared he was a flight risk who had inquired about obtaining a false passport.

Mr Gleeson said evidence about a fake passport was also questionable, and said his client had no prior convictions, had surrendered his Malaysian passport to police and was entitled to bail like his co-accused.

Mr Gleeson said the accused man also faced a long wait in custody as the investigation would “take a substantial period of time for the police to resolve the charges”.

The court heard the investigation had now spread to other soccer clubs in Victoria, Queensland and overseas, and more arrests were possible.

Mr Gsubramaniam’s sister, Paramsary, told the court she and her siblings had raised $30,000 to pay for the surety if bail was granted, which included money she and her husband had saved for their son’s education.

The court heard accommodation had also been arranged through a family friend, but deputy chief magistrate Jelena Popovic ruled the location and person offering accommodation needed investigation. Ms Popovic ruled that the bail application continue on Tuesday.

Mr Gsubramaniam and Mr Younan both face 10 charges, five counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts a betting outcome and five counts of facilitating conduct that corrupts a betting outcome.

The players all face eight charges apiece, four of each offence.

Under their bail conditions, the coach and players must report three times a week to police and cannot attend soccer matches sanctioned by Football Federation Australia.

The six men are all scheduled to appear again in court on December 6.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

A nurse who helped a schizophrenic patient flee her abusive husband and then started a sexual relationship with her has been disqualified from Australia’s health workers’ register for two years.

Mark Jackson was working at Peel and Rockingham Kwinana Mental Health Service, south of Perth, in 2010 when he began the relationship with his patient, ‘Ms L’, who had been treated for paranoid schizophrenia since 2006.

A State Administrative Tribunal ruling revealed Jackson was appointed as the woman’s case manager in early 2010 after she was hospitalised following a psychotic episode that brought on several suicide attempts.

Later that year, after Ms L had revealed she was in a marriage of “sexual, psychological and at times physical abuse”, Jackson arranged transport for her and her daughter to move to crisis accommodation.

He then entered a residential lease with her, paid a rental bond and four weeks rent, and bought furniture.

The relationship then became sexual.

In a letter to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency later that year, Jackson admitted “the relationship boundaries rapidly became blurred”.

“I did have a consentual [sic] sexual relationship with the patient. This is unacceptable from a professional and moral standpoint,” he wrote.

Jackson said while he was trying to help the patient, his behaviour was “totally out of character”, saying he was suffering a deep depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the time as a result of his work as a mental health nurse.

Judge David Parry, deputy president of the SAT, said in a judgment that Jackson was clearly guilty of professional misconduct as alleged by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

He was disqualified from applying for registration as a registered health practitioner until 2015, and ordered to pay $2069 in costs.

Jackson resigned as a nurse in April 2011, surrendered his registration, and told the SAT he does not intend to resume his nursing career.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Nurse who helped patient flee abusive husband then started sexual relationship with her banned for two years.

Anthony Mundine lost against Daniel Geale earlier this year. Photo: brendan esposito\nAnthony Mundine has admitted he didn’t have the “eye of the tiger” in his loss to Daniel Geale and still dreams of booking a date with Floyd Mayweather before the superstar American retires from the sport.

After a dominant display against Canelo Alvarez on the weekend, Mayweather has slated four fights over a 24 month period as part of his exit strategy from boxing. Potential opponents include Danny Garcia, Amir Khan, Manny Pacquiao and Adrian Broner.

Despite his loss to Geale, Mundine still covets a meeting with Mayweather and at 38, wants to add his name to the list. His road back begins with ageing great Shane Mosley on October 23 in Sydney.

Mundine is treating every fight as his last at the moment and said there were no second chances for him at this late stage of his career. Should he beat Mosley, he believes more doors will open.

“My exit strategy is to try and get to Floyd Mayweather within those four fights. I’ve got plenty of time. All I need to do is get past Mosley. If I do that, I know there will be massive offers,” Mundine said.

“(US promoter) 50 Cent has already spoken about future events. But I have to get past Mosley and that’s all I’m worried about.”

Mosley is 42 and many boxing fans believe he is well past his prime. But he managed a win over Mexican Pablo Cesar Cano in May to break a streak of losses to Mayweather, Pacquiao and Alvarez.

Potentially more concerning for Mundine is the lack of will to win he believes he showed in his unanimous points loss to Geale in January. Mundine still believes the scores should have been much tighter but admits Geale was the hungrier fighter.

“Initially I was disappointed. I knew it was a close fight but when I look back and watch the video, he probably wanted it a lot more than me. That was disappointing for me,” Mundine said.

“Normally I have that eye of the tiger, that will to win is stronger than my opponent. If I did have that, like he did, I don’t reckon he would have gone 12 rounds with me because at times, it felt easy.”

Some introspection and the prospect of an upcoming fight has Mundine believing the fire in the belly has returned in time to host Mosley, who Mundine believes remains a dangerous customer despite his years.

“Definitely, it’s back. I can feel it. Because I’m at a stage in my career where it’s kill or be killed for me. It’s like a sudden death footy final. I know if I don’t get up and perform I’m out the door,” Mundine said.

“And I don’t want that to happen. I still have big dreams and I know I can match it with the best in the world.”

Mundine is in Brisbane and will be at the launch of the Brisbane Sports Performance Centre at Kangaroo Point on Saturday night.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

Comments Off on Why the Gold Coast is better than a cheap holiday in Thailand or Bali

Jason Bright drives the #8 Team BOC Holden during the V8 Supercar Championship Series. Photo: Quinn RooneyThe Queensland tourism minister has warned Australian parents that an increased focus on cost cutting could rob children of future memories of an iconic Gold Coast holiday.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said much of what made Gold Coast holidays so memorable in times past was still available and readily accessible to Australian families.

“We urge Aussie parents to consider the impact on their children’s future memories before choosing cheap overseas holidays simply based on price,” she said.

“Many Australian adults are fortunate enough to have fond memories of their own childhood experiences on the Gold Coast. Nearly all the best aspects of a holiday on the Coast in times past remain accessible today, well within reach of most family holiday budgets.

“We have an obligation to our children to show them the natural attractions of the Gold Coast.”

Despite a 6 per cent increase in international visitors in the last financial year, domestic tourism to the Gold Coast has continued to suffer, partly because of record low fares to cheaper destinations such as Thailand and Bali offered by airlines departing from the Gold Coast.

Tourism operators voiced concerns at the recent DestinationQ travel conference that cheap overseas flights were negatively affecting the local travel industry, just as the increased focus on cost cutting and outsourcing of production overseas had damaged the Australian commercial retail sector.

It’s evident to most shoppers that the current race to the bottom in the retail sector through globalisation and offshoring is responsible for much cheaper goods and chronic declines in quality. Tourism operators are concerned a similar trend will damage local Gold Coast tourism and result in Australian children missing out on the famous Gold Coast holiday experience.

However, Gold Coast tourism operators are confident the V8 Supercar carnival from October 25-27, officially known as the Armor All Gold Coast 600, presents an ideal opportunity for Aussie mums and dads to relive some of the best days of their lives and share these with their youngsters.

12 reasons not to take a cheap overseas holiday:

1. The Armor All 600 V8 Supercar event

The entire family will enjoy what is shaping up to be the most spectacular race of the season – guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping!

2. The world’s best beaches

What better way to enjoy Queensland’s “beautiful one day, perfect the next” weather?

Rent a SUP board and cruise along Currumbin Creek in style or throw a line in and catch your own dinner.

5. Fish and chips on the beach

There’s nothing quite like fish and chips from a paper wrapper with a fresh breeze and the surf roaring in the background.

6. International-class restaurants

A new breed of chefs are ready to amaze. New restaurants such as Bazaar at QT offer exciting dishes for all, no matter what your dietary preferences may be.

7. Value-for-money accommodation

Good quality hotels and family holiday apartments all along the coast are still available for the Armor All 600 V8 Supercar event.

8. V8 racing driving lessons

Thrill younger licence-holders in your family who are new to driving as they learn important new driving skills behind the wheel of a V8 supercar with expert instructors.

9. Q1 Skypoint walk

Take the twilight climb and strap yourself securely to the outside of Australia’s tallest building, and gasp at the sublime beauty of a sunset you will never forget. An absolute must for visitors of all ages and guaranteed to be an unexpected highlight of your visit.

10. Wildlife parks

What’s not to love about nursing a koala, feeding the kangaroos and having a rainbow lorikeet perch on your head?

11. Shopping

See why the Gold Coast’s retail shops and big-brand outlets continue to draw visitors from Australia and around the world.

12. Clubs, pubs and night life

At night the famous Glitter Strip really lights up with its unique style of clubs and pubs. During the day, sit on the veranda, soak up the view of the Pacific and enjoy a family meal at one of the Coast’s many surf clubs.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.

Sometimes you think you’ve seen everything that can possibly happen when it comes to investing and finance. Then the Winklevoss twins prove you wrong, again. This time, they’ve suggested that Bitcoins – the virtual would-be currency – could be a national currency one day.

Yes, the brothers famous for claiming they really were the brains behind the birth of Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) have decided an online payment method preferred mostly by criminals and paranoid anti-government types might one day carry the head of a sovereign on its obverse.

You know, I could be wrong. But the odds of that are pretty small, with the possible exception that a rogue government might just think the idea is crazy enough to work. Yes, I’m looking at you, North Korea.

But let’s face it – the imprimatur of Kim Jong-un would be the exception to prove this rule. No one has ever invoked the North Korean leadership as moral authority – and that’s unlikely to start any time soon.

Confidence – and risk – soars

The broader economic picture might be somewhat of a patchwork, but that’s not stopping investors.

In case you wanted proof, almost 600 US companies hit 52-week highs after the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold fire on reducing quantitative easing.

Still not convinced? The market in initial public offerings is hitting its straps, with Twitter, Freelancer南京夜网 and plenty of others lining up to list on the main exchanges, and the aforementioned Winklevoss twins figure this is an attractive market into which to tip a Bitcoin-based exchange traded fund.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not suggesting the markets are getting to bubble territory yet but it’s hard to argue that the markets aren’t – at least in part – starting to lose their inhibitions. And that’s when investors should start to be wary.

If you’re thinking I’m the guy who takes away the punchbowl just as the party gets into full swing, or the neighbour who calls the police when the music gets too loud, then I’m – at least metaphorically – guilty as charged.

Everything in moderation

I’m not suggesting the punch isn’t good or the music enjoyable – just that the result of unbridled indulgence tends to be a pretty rough hangover. That’s a day wasted in bed if you party too hard. It can be many thousands of dollars up in smoke when it comes to investing.

To torture the metaphor a little further, by all means enjoy the party. Have some punch. A little can be a good thing. Just because the market is getting more expensive doesn’t mean there aren’t good investments to be found. There are fewer than at this time 12 and 24 months ago, but they’re out there.

Warren Buffett, the greatest living investor, seems to agree, telling US cable channel CNBC that US shares are “more or less fairly priced now”.

Foolish takeaway

That said, not investing at all can be the worst form of risk. The ASX has expanded almost 30-fold in the past three decades, through wars, recessions, crashes and panics. But when speculation takes over and investors start to feel the envy of missing out on the gains others are enjoying, you know it’s time to be careful.

The single worst reason to buy an investment is the money other people are making. By the time everyone’s talking about it, most of the gains will probably have been realised, and we’re closer to the end of the party than almost everyone knows.

Only in hindsight will we realise we shouldn’t have had that last drink (or three), but by then it’s too late.

The Winklevoss twins are welcome to their Bitcoins. I wish every success to the companies floating on the stock exchange. Just remember, they’re not selling because they want you to be rich, but because they want your cash. And no one in their right mind sells cheaply.

The disgraceful handling of troubled young footballer Dustin Martin reached a new low point on Thursday when the bewildered-looking 22-year-old was led around a football club he didn’t really want to join.

And a club that, upon meeting Martin and upon brief reflection, came to the conclusion it did not really want him. Like Melbourne before it, Greater Western Sydney has enough of a job on its hands without taking on a high-maintenance player with social issues when what it craves is on-field leadership.

Martin clearly wants to remain at Richmond, which has been as good as home to him since he was drafted as a wayward but prodigiously talented 18-year-old and which has put in place a series of mentors and minders for him and offered him a two-year contract worth about $1million. Internally, both coach and captain are asking him to stay. Externally, either Martin’s manager Ralph Carr or his father Shane must cut their losses and make it happen. While life in many ways would be significantly less stressful for the Tigers without Martin, he remains theirs and their problem. This columnist now seriously questions whether he is worth the trouble and if Martin does return to Tigerland with his tail between his legs it would serve everyone in his camp right if the offer is reduced.

Further, the AFL Players Association’s agents board should make a point of analysing this debacle as a test case and seriously question Carr’s accreditation. He has handled this so unprofessionally and should have realised how much potential harm he could cause his client.

Next week the explosive young star should finish in the top five in the club best and fairest. If only he had the strength he demonstrates on the MCG and took a stand on his own as Reece Conca did this week and put pen to paper without waiting for his manager to get to town.

Conca has sacrificed significant money, which Fremantle had placed on the table to stay at Richmond. No one yet has put their hand up for Martin, and that GWS has chosen not to pursue him despite the difficulty that club has had luring players, shows how concerned it must be about his issues.

When Martin turned up so dishevelled he was told to leave the track in January this season, the concerned and frustrated Tigers went to AFL medicos and asked for the player to be target-tested for illegal drugs. That Martin was able to have the season he did after his problematic off-season speaks volumes for the work put into him by Richmond.

And yet Carr continued to claim all year there were offers aplenty for Martin. Richmond called his bluff in what appeared a risky but ultimately necessary stand. It seems true that Martin was being shopped around by his manager Carr because of an undertaking given to Martin’s father and yet no offer has yet been tabled. Martin appears to have begun to lose his way late in the season when his management attempted to bring the contract issues to a head on the day Richmond lost to Carlton in round 20.

Martin had a relatively frank conversation with GWS bosses, in which he acknowledged he had some work to do to clean up his reputation. That seems likely to be Richmond’s job now and a change of management wouldn’t hurt either.

Some intriguing revelations came to light during what can only be described as a cynical tyre-kicking exercise orchestrated by Carr and recorded by media from the time on Thursday morning that the young footballer arrived at Melbourne Airport.

When asked by the Giants about whom he looked to for advice and mentoring, Martin, in front of Carr, put forward the Richmond Football Club and key individuals within that organisation. How embarrassed Carr must have felt.

During the day Martin was contacted by coach Damien Hardwick and received text messages from his captain Trent Cotchin. He briefly spoke on Friday with outgoing president Gary March, with whom he remains close. Both Cotchin and Hardwick reassured Martin the club still regarded him as a Tiger and wanted him to stay.

Which must say something for how Richmond feels about him. But should Martin return – as now seems probable – to a club he never really left, he has some work to do to win back its trust and that of his teammates.

This story Administrator ready to work first appeared on Nanjing Night Net.